Spike Lee to lead 2021 Cannes Film Festival jury
Mar 16, 2021
Washington [US], March 16 : American director-producer Spike Lee is set to lead the 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, which is expected to take place between July 6-17 this year.
As per Variety, Lee will be the first Black president of the festival's jury. He was on track to preside over last year's festival which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and had vowed to return to the French Rivera-set festival if the health situation allowed for it.
Lee was also supposed to have his directorial venture 'Da 5 Bloods' play out of the competition last year, marking Netflix's return to the Official Selection.
Several of Lee's films, including 1986's 'She's Gotta Have It', 1989's 'Do the Right Thing' and 2018's 'BlacKkKlansman', have premiered in Cannes.
The festival was initially set to take place between May 11-22, but those dates didn't seem feasible as France is still coping with the second wave of COVID-19.
In its release announcing Lee as jury president, the film festival's organisers said the "12 summer days of the next festival will be a celebration of art and creativity, and full of long-awaited reunions."
The festival also said, "preparations are in full swing with a large number of films which are being viewed by the selection committee."
More details about the 74th edition will be unveiled in the coming weeks. The Official Selection and the full jury will be unveiled in early June.
